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Harry R. Butzlaff

Harry R. Butzlaff, 88, of Bryant went to be with his Lord on Feb. 23. Harry was born Nov. 12, 1924, in Milwaukee, Wis., to Harry and Clara Butzlaff. He was a lifelong member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a chemical engineering degree. He retired in 1989 as manager of quality/process control from A. O. Smith Corporation in Little Rock, with more than 35 years of service. Harry enjoyed woodworking, yard work and spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren. He was also an avid Razorback, Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Braves and Milwaukee Brewers fan. Harry served in the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1944 to 1946, during World War II, with 13 missions over Japan as a B-29 navigator and bombardment/radar observer. He served in the U.S Air Force Reserves from 1946 to 1966. He has received the following decorations: Air Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Commendation, two Presidential Unit Citation Medals with oak leaf cluster, Air Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and Armed Forces Reserve Medal with silver hourglass. He was awarded Bryant Mayoral Citation in 2011 for World War II Army Air Corps service and also served on the Bryant Planning Commission and in other community and volunteer work.
He was proceeded in death by his grandparents, August and Johanna (Tiegs) Butzlaff, Robert and Minna (Hahnemann) Josten; his parents, Harry F. and Clara E ( Josten ) Butzlaff; his sister, Marilyn Lees-Haushalter; and a son, Rick L. Butzlaff.
He is survived by his loving wife of 66 years, Shirley M ( Bohlman) Butzlaff, and six children, Sandra Phillips and husband Don, Robert Butzlaff, William Butzlaff and wife Jeannie, Tonna Butzlaff, Nancy Blaylock and husband Gary, Jim Butzlaff and wife Melinda, and Shari Butzlaff; 11 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren, whom he loved very much.
A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 27, at Dial and Dudley Funeral Home in Bryant.
Memorials may be made to Lutheran Hour Ministries, 660 Mason Ridge Center Dr., St. Louis, MO 63141.
Online guest book: www.dialanddudleyfuneralhome.com.